From A Dark Corner
by MelWil
Summary: When Snape rescues Hermione, years after her disappearence, the people around her find themselves wondering what would be best for her. (New chapter)
1. From a Dark Corner

Title: From A Dark Corner  
Author: MelWil  
Rating: PG13  
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me  
Summary: He was sent to retrieve her

* * *

He found her standing in the dark corner of the room, a fine chain looped around her wrist, her hair tangled and falling into her eyes. She pulled backwards as he opened the door, her hand flying to her face, in front of her eyes.

The chubby woman who'd opened the door fastened the ring of keys back onto her belt and shook her head, her face filled with fake concern. "I tried to warn you."

Severus nodded. "I understand." He stepped over the threshold, into the dim room. "Leave us, please." He didn't turn around to look at her, didn't gauge her reaction. He waited until she'd walked away, her footsteps and the jangle of her keys echoing in the hall. He moved toward the girl – the woman – in the corner. She flinched.

"It is alright, Miss Granger." Severus spoke softly. "Albus has sent me to retrieve you."

The girl (she was still Hermione Granger, he reminded himself, despite her skittishness) relaxed at the knees and sunk to the floor. Severus crossed the room, kneeling down close enough to touch her. He didn't.

She looked straight though him. Her eyes were too big for her pale, thin face, and they were rimmed with dark shadows and hidden behind her hair. She moved a shaking hand, the unchained one, toward him, wrapping it around his wrist, gripping much harder than he had expected.

"Snape." Her voice was low and croaky, as if she hadn't spoken in months. She blinked and looked away, then turned back to him, her eyes a little more focused. "Professor Snape?"

He nodded and stood up, drawing her to her feet. She was dressed in a heavy, shapeless, grey nightgown, but it was too big for her and it hung awkwardly from her shoulders. Her legs were unsteady and she wobbled against him. He pulled a small gold key from the pocket of his Muggle trousers and removed the chain from her wrist, allowing it to fall to the floor.

"Hold on," he said. He wrapped her fingers around the portkey Albus had given him, clamping them into place with him own fingers. "We'll be back at Hogwarts in a minute."


	2. A Matter of Return

Chapter Two: A Matter of Return

* * *

Albus Dumbledore closed the door of his office and looked down at Severus and Minerva. They were sitting in front of his desk, pouring over an unfolded map in front of him.

Albus cleared his throat. "Madam Pomfrey believes Miss Granger will make a complete physical recovery."

Minerva exhaled heavily. "Thank goodness for that," she said. "Have you sent an owl to Potter and Weasley yet?"

Severus kept looking at the map. It was Potter's old map, the one that had belonged to his father before him. Potter had donated it to Albus when he left, declaring that he didn't need it anymore. "What about Miss Granger's mental state, Headmaster?"

Albus walked across his office and sat behind his desk, looking Severus in the eye. "I'm afraid we'll have to wait and see about that. She's suffered considerably in the last few years."

"Our world isn't exactly equipped to deal with special cases like hers," Severus followed Filch's footsteps with the tip of his finger. "Perhaps it would be kinder if we were to let her go."

"Let her go?" Minerva narrowed her eyes. "What, precisely, do you mean by that, Severus?"

Severus tapped his finger on the corner of the ancient parchment. "I mean it might be better if we send her back to her parents. The Muggle world would be better suited to deal with a case like hers."

"But you just rescued her from a Muggle institution!" Minerva said, her voice rising in protest. "After several months of searching! How does it help to send her back?"

"She was locked in that particular institution because she had no money." Severus folded the map. "Her parents would be able to provide proper assistance. She could live a fruitful life as a Muggle. She is Muggle-born, after all."

"We don't just let talented witches return to the Muggle world!" Minerva declared. "We look after our own."

Severus snorted. "We haven't done a very good job so far."

"I'm afraid Severus may be right." Albus sighed. "There will be many people who won't want us to let her go, though."

"Harry and Ron, to begin with," Minerva said. "There's no way those two will let her slip away again."

"Potter and Weasley will just have to understand that it is in her best interest." Severus stood up. "I assume, despite the drama, that we are still required to teach classes."

"Of course," Albus nodded. "I will take some time to ponder this matter. I shall inform you of my decision when I reach it."


	3. Confrontation

Chapter Three

* * *

Severus nodded to Poppy as he entered the hospital wing. Poppy Pomfrey did not usually approve of the hospital being used by anyone other than teachers and students. But the Headmaster told her that Hermione Granger was a special case. After all, she never officially left Hogwarts.

The girl was in the corner bed. Poppy had administered a sleeping draught, a strong one. Sleep, apparently, was the best thing they could give her right now.

He stood at the foot of her bed and watched as she shook violently, before falling still. For a brief moment he envied her; sleep had been a fleeting elusive thought the night before. A sleeping draught would have prevented the second guessing and doubts that were beginning to scare him.

It wouldn't be the first time a Muggle-born returned to the Muggle world after their training. Not everyone fitted in, not everyone adjusted to the snide remarks and gentle prejudices that accompanied them. Others found more opportunities in the Muggle world, or wanted to be closer the their Muggle families.

It would be the first time the headmaster of Hogwarts encouraged someone to leave.

People were going to be angry when they heard about it. Potter and Weasley would be furious of course, but the rest of the Weasley's wouldn't look on it too kindly either. Some members of the staff would tutt about it behind his back and make veiled remarks to his face. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks would go out of their way to make his life unbearable. But as far as Severus was concerned, it was the best option available to them.

It was the only option.

"Snape," Potter was at the doorway, a sour look spreading across his face. "I didn't expect to see you here. Dumbledore told me I could come in."

"Of course." Snape glanced at the girl again and turned to go. "I'll leave you with your visit. Do try not to upset anything. The school has been remarkably disaster free since your departure."

Potter didn't move, just stood still, leaning against the door frame. "Dumbledore told me about your plan."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "You're surprisingly calm. I thought you would crash in here, wanting my head."

Potter shrugged. He was looking less like his father these days, with a harsh scar down his left cheek, and the prominent limp when he walked. "Ron will be here later. I'll leave the theatrics to him." He dropped his voice. "I actually think it might help."

"I never thought I'd see the day," Severus sneered, "the great Harry Potter agrees with me. You should get Madam Pomfrey to examine you while you are here." He brushed past Potter, out the door.

"Snape!" Potter called after him. Severus stopped and turned around. "Dumbledore told me you found Hermione," Potter continued. "I meant to say thank you."

Severus nodded. "You're welcome."


	4. Leaving

Chapter Four

* * *

Severus was preparing for his class when the girl appeared in the doorway. She was dressed in a faded set of school robes and her hair was tied back, away from her face.

"Good evening, Professor Snape." Her voice was small, nervous.

He looked up from his work bench. "Should you be down here, Miss Granger?"

"Madam Pomfrey said I could go for a walk. I was getting restless in the hospital wing. I thought you might have some work I could assist with."

He nodded and pointed to the ingredients on the other workbench. "You can cut those daisy roots for me."

She settled behind the bench, cutting the roots and grouping them together. "I spoke with Professor Dumbledore the other day."

Severus lit the fire under his small cauldron and poured some water into it. "I thought you might."

"He told you about my idea." The girl looked up from her work. "Why did you suggest that?"

Severus refused to meet her eyes. "We were discussing what would be best for you. I believe, based on the information we have, sending you back to your parents would be the best course of action."

She nodded. "I think I agree with you." She cut some more roots. "Madam Pomfrey said I could leave at the end of the week. Harry's going to take me home on the train. He's going to help me."

He added a dead caterpillar to the cauldron. "What does Weasley think about this?"

Hermione pushed the cut roots around with her knife. He's not very happy. But, well, he doesn't understand what it's like to live as a Muggle. And he doesn't accept that Muggle professionals might understand mental health better than St Mungos." She half heartedly cut at an already cut root. "I might return, anyway. When I'm all better."

Severus nodded. "I wish you the best of luck, Miss Granger."

"Thank you." She paused, looking at him. "May I keep in touch, Professor?"

He walked over to her, removing the knife from between her fingers. "It would be better if you didn't. Muggles and wizards have little in common, at times. It would be better if you spent your energy on getting better."

She looked away from him and walked towards the door. "Goodbye Professor."

As the door shut, he returned to his preparations. He had no time for silly goodbyes. It would be better if they all just forgot.

That was the way the magical world worked best.


End file.
